Tacoma Trading Company

2/6/14 Evening gaiwan. 3g/100ml gaiwan/212F Washed. This is a heavy tea – 3g barely covered the bottom of the gaiwan, but after three steeps has exploded to fill it almost completely, and is still pretty tightly curled up on itself. I’ll be able to drink this all night.

The tea itself is confusing. It’s labeled gunpowder pearl green, but it is drinking like a tieguanyin. Same tight little knots of leaves, same toasty florals. This was a gift from someone from a small local tea place out in Washington state, and I really wonder if it’s correctly labeled. I like it. I’m just not sure what it is.

Lightly oxidized, brews a vibrant green on first 2-3 infusions if you brew for short times. Nice rich vegetal flavor. Fades to a beige color as flavor transitions to bamboo and nutty hints with subsequent infusions. Good for many infusions, I often got 6-8 by adding 15-20 seconds with each subsequent infusion before the flavor is depleted and thin.

Did I mention that the oxidization is light? It tastes more reminiscent of green tea than a typical oolong.